Contracting

Not your ordinary General Contractor

Building a fabulous house requires more than just following the plans. Meticulous attention to detail and the ability to capitalize on opportunities during construction make the most out of any house plan. Following are some examples of how Legacy Builders got more house for the owner than the plans specified.

To maximize the view Legacy Builders replaced the railing proposed by the architect with an all glass railing alternative (look closely since it is nearly invisible). There is a grey area in the building code that may allow the railing, but to be certain, Legacy Builders obtains written approval from the head of the Marin County Building Department before proceeding. When the final inspector questioned the code compliance, the letter from his boss assured him that the railing is approved.

To create a more open feeling in the dining room and to allow a greater view, the plans need to be modified. The engineer called for a shear wall, but Legacy Builders suggests creating a larger opening by replacing the shear wall with an engineered "strong wall" one-quarter the size. The new drawings are approved and the opening is increased by 8 feet.

During construction Legacy Builders reviewed the CC&R's governing the subdivision construction and noticed that an "accessory structure" may be allowable. Although many said that this could not be built, Legacy Builders drafted plans and got them approved by the Marin County Planning and Building Departments, and then built an additional 500 square foot "guest house".

To maximize the view, windows need to be as large as possible. The plans called for large posts in between each window for structural support. To increase the glass area while maintaining structural integrity, engineered beams were used and built up into the ceiling. To further enhance the openings, Legacy Builders got the window manufacturer to group their windows together. This allowed for maximum view area and operable windows with minimal obstruction.

The structural plans called for a retaining wall up to 15 feet tall and specified the concrete and steel required for stability. After reviewing the site conditions Legacy Builders suggests using shotcrete to save the owner over two weeks in the construction process and thousands of dollars. The engineer approves of the redesign and the money and time are saved.

Creating curves is standard procedure for Legacy Builders. But to make the finished product strong and smooth extra care needs to be taken in the proper wood selection and construction techniques.

The hallway where the stairs led to the upper floor felt a little small to the owner, however they didn't want to make the stairs any narrower. To keep the stairs at full width and expand the hallway, Legacy Builders cantilevers the stairs over the hallway making the room larger without reducing the stair width.

These are just a few examples of the hundreds of design and building decisions that take place on each construction project. Contact Us to see what we can do for you.